UK government has implemented significant changes to its visa rules, impacting carers, skilled workers, and students. Here's a breakdown of the key changes:

Key Changes:

Care Workers:

A significant change is that care workers and senior care workers are now restricted from bringing dependents (partners and children) to the UK.

Additionally, there are new requirements for care providers sponsoring Health and Care Visa applicants, including demonstrating efforts to recruit domestically.

Care providers who wish to recruit staff from abroad will have to first prove that they have attempted to employ someone already in the country.

Skilled Workers:

The minimum salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas has been significantly increased.

There have been changes to the Immigration Salary List, affecting which jobs qualify for reduced salary thresholds.

The baseline minimum salary to be sponsored for a Skilled Worker visa increased from £26,200 to £38,700, with the going rate minimum salary specific to each job also increasing.

Students:

The government is tightening rules for student visas, with increased scrutiny to prevent abuse of the system.

There are increases to powers for caseworkers to refuse visa applications suspected of not being genuine, especially concerning short term english language study visas.

Key Points to Note:

These changes reflect the UK government's aim to reduce overall immigration numbers.

The changes have phased implementation dates throughout 2024.

It is very important to check the most up to date government information, as immigration rules are subject to change.

The Government has confirmed new visa regulations for care providers, workers, and students.

Under measures introduced in Parliament on Wednesday, employers will be required to prioritize hiring foreign care workers already living in England before recruiting from abroad.

Starting April 9, care providers seeking to hire from overseas must first demonstrate efforts to employ individuals already in the UK who require new visa sponsorship, according to the Home Office. The Government hopes these measures will reduce dependence on overseas recruitment and help lower record immigration levels.

Additionally, the minimum salary for Skilled Worker visas will increase from £23,200 to £25,000 per year (or £12.82 per hour) in line with the national minimum wage rise.

Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, acknowledged the crucial role of international care workers in the UK’s social care system. He emphasized the importance of protecting workers from exploitation and ensuring those already in the UK can find employment in the sector.

“We must do all we can to get victims of rogue operators back into fulfilling careers in adult social care,” he said. “By prioritizing care workers already in the UK, we reduce reliance on overseas recruitment while ensuring the sector has the staff it needs.”

Changes have also been introduced to the short-term student visa route, granting caseworkers greater authority to reject applications suspected of being fraudulent.

International students studying English in the UK for six to 11 months can apply for a visa, but the Home Office has raised concerns about misuse of this route by individuals who do not intend to study or leave the country after their course.

The new rules follow stricter immigration enforcement, including banning companies that repeatedly violate employment laws from hiring overseas workers.

Between July 2022 and December 2024, the Government revoked more than 470 sponsorship licenses in the care sector.

Seema Malhotra, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, stressed the importance of protecting care workers from exploitation and ensuring employers follow the rules.

“We are now going further by requiring care providers in England to prioritize hiring international workers already in the UK before recruiting from overseas,” she said.

Recent figures indicate a significant decline in visa applications for work and study in the UK since stricter immigration rules were implemented.

Provisional data shows that between April and December 2024, the UK received 547,000 visa applications—a 42% drop compared to 942,500 applications during the same period in 2023.

The decrease of 395,100 applications is largely attributed to a sharp decline in foreign student and care worker applications.

Health and care worker visa applications fell by 79%, from 299,800 between April and December 2023 to just 63,800 in the same period in 2024.